Telangana Cong MLAs' expulsion: Bailable warrants against secretaries

The Telangana High Court Friday issued bailable warrants against the state's law secretary and the secretary to the legislature, returnable by February 15, in connection with the expulsion of two Congress MLAs during the previous assembly for alleged unruly behaviour.

Justice B Sivasankara Rao directed both the secretaries to be present before the court on that day.

The order was passed while adjudicating a contempt application of former MLAs Komatireddy Venkat Reddy and Sampath Kumar, who submitted that the earlier order of the Hyderabad High Court to restore full membership of the state legislative assembly to them was not honoured and they were not paid the salary for that particular period.

When the matter came up for hearing Friday, Additional Advocate General J Ramachandra Rao produced before the court a division bench order, which stated that after the dissolution of the assembly, all issues concerning the expulsion of the two MLAs had become redundant and vacated the earlier orders granted by the single judge for their appearance.

The court directed the city police commissioner to execute the bailable warrants and to release the officials if they furnish a surety for Rs 10,000 and for the commissioner to ensure their presence in court.

The two MLAs were expelled from the Assembly in May last year for alleged unruly behaviour during the Governor's address to the joint sitting of the legislature.